Saints,

Last week the summary word would be, worship is serious, but filled with glorious music. No gravel-eating presbyterians aloud (that’s a pun, not a typo for the remaining presbyterians). On the other hand, the sobriety and intention of gloriousness and the honor Christ that presbyterians represent, great! That is why presbyterians before have so carefully guarded the Table with much evaluation and much heart-searching prior to permitting people to come or to serve communion.

The practical answer: train ourselves to praise, to sing, to play, to jam & to know the whole of the Psalter. Also, we should (or you should hold me accountable to) preach the Bible, all of it and to make pastorally challenging applications. Then, we should forthrightly abandon all presbyterian distinctives in the liturgy itself, so that real confession happens early in the service and joyous celebration, conscionable hearing of the preached Word, and Table joy result. We have mostly done that already, but there’s still some mopping up to do.

This week, we must turn to the topic of Lent. What does Lent mean? The word “Lent” comes from the Middle English lente (“spring”) and from the Old English lengten (“to lengthen’), referring to the time of lengthening daylight from Christmas (around the Winter solstice) to Easter (Spring equinox). The Lenten season lasts 40 days (not counting Sundays), beginning with this past Wednesday (February 25). Lent commemorates the forty day fast of Jesus who fulfilled the forty year wilderness journey of Israel. In this time, we are encouraged to examine ourselves anew in the person and work of Jesus Christ. We are to “train” for a more earnest struggle against the world, the flesh, and the devil and seek increased sanctification and growth in Christian maturity and obedience. It is “spring training.” Knock out the flab, but all for the purpose of the big game. All for the purpose of Easter. More in the sermon, anon.

So what is it to the “non-liturgical” people: it is just “new year’s resolution time.” It is a time to diet, to break the cocktail cycle, to kick the World Wide Stout habit, to address your internet pornography addiction, to unplug from cable TV, to clean out the chocolate in your cupboard, to abstain from a toxic habit of bad music, to finally walk a mile a day, to seek counsel over your recent near infidelities, to go on a colon cleanse, to stop smoking, to seek forgiveness for a broken relationship, to eat fish on Fridays, to actually change the routines of your physical existence [or for the gnostics, just think of something different] . . . is that practical enough?

I am not going to cite it for you, but please read Matthew 3-4 to get a clue. Even more, you could join in prayer and prep even if you did not go on Wednesday, by the magical power of the internet.

Note: Dr. Don Stone’s Lenten service (Ash Wednesday) and sermon is posted on our website. Three of our families went to the service, they can testify.

Precious moments verse: Matt 4:11 Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

Gregg Strawbridge,  Pastor

Website & Links:

Prepare for worship with the online service:
http://www.allsaintspresbyterian.com/worshipservice.asp

Church Calendar:
http://www.allsaintspresbyterian.com/calendar.aspx

All the sermons are online and available, as well as others, here:
http://www.wordmp3.com/ministry/?id=allsaints

Saints,

It seems reasonable to me to do one more “topical sermon” on worship, “Mount Zion and Liturgical Transformation.”

The first point to note is that I am not a “presbyterian” in the historic sense in terms of the last two sermons. On the other hand, I think that I am more presbyterian than the presbyterians in emphasize liturgical warfare. Music is not emphasized in the Presbyterian Tradition.

Let  me show this point with a good presbyterian syllogism. The argument goes that

1. Music is not emphasized in the New Testament (allegedly).
2. There are no NT endorsements of a grand musical agenda or musical instruments (except in Revelation). (There are no references to choirs, etc.)

ERGO: c) “Regulative NT worship” should not emphasize music and musical instruments, but rather have a  minimal vocal music.

Westminster Larger Catechism 108: What are the duties required in the second commandment? A. The duties required in the second commandment are, the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances as God hath instituted in his word;(1) particularly prayer and thanksgiving in the name of Christ;(2) the reading, preaching, and hearing of the word;(3) the administration and receiving of the sacraments;(4) church government and discipline;(5) the ministry and maintenance thereof;(6) religious fasting;(7) swearing by the name of God,(8) and vowing unto him:(9) as also the disapproving, detesting, opposing, all false worship;(10) and, according to each one’s place and calling, removing it, and all monuments of idolatry.(11)

Please note, though the Second Commandment requires such particulars as “religious fasting” it does not require singing, playing music unto the Lord, or praising God with music – all of which are commanded 100 – to – over “religious fasting.” I mean off hand, I can’t think of any NT passage which “requires” religious fasting at all.

Don’t take my word for it, listen to our brethren presbyterians:

Kevin Reed argues,
. . . it is indisputable that these musicians [of 1Ch 23ff.] were part of the Levitical priesthood. . . .The priestly services of the Levites have been replaced in the New Testament. Therefore, the burden of proof rests with the proponents of instrumental music; they must prove a divine warrant for such service apart from tabernacle or temple ordinances, if they wish to introduce instrumental music into new covenant worship. Without such a warrant, it is improper to reintroduce such ceremonial observances back into public worship.

John L. Girardeau,
The instrumental music of temple-worship was typical of the joy and triumph of God’s believing people to result from the plentiful effusion of the Holy Ghost in New Testament times….[I]t pleased God to typify the spiritual joy to spring from a richer possession of the Holy Spirit through the sensuous rapture engendered by the passionate melody of stringed instruments and the clash of cymbals, by the blare of trumpets and the ringing of harps. It was the instruction of his children in a lower school, preparing them for a higher.

R.L. Dabney,
The man who contests this first premise had better set out at once for Rome: God is to be worshipped only in the ways appointed in His Word. Every act of public cultus not positively enjoined by Him (by direct command, approved Scriptural example, or which can be deduced by good and necessary consequence from Scripture — RB) is thereby forbidden. Christ and His apostles ordained the musical worship of the New Dispensation without any sort of musical instrument, enjoining only the singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Hence such instruments are excluded from Christian worship. Such has been the creed of all churches, and in all ages, except for the Popish communion after it had reached the nadir of its corruption at the end of the thirteenth century, and of its prelatic imitators.

Even John Calvin says,
The Levites, under the law, were justified in making use of instrumental music in the worship of God; it having been his will to train his people, while they were yet tender and like children, by such rudiments, until the coming of Christ” and it was “a part of the education; that is to say, the puerile instruction of the law…”

Should we even have the name “presbyterian”? On the other hand, the heart of Reformation Presbyterianism is worshiping God in the way He commands in His Word and by that to wage war against everything raised against the knowledge of God.  That’s why I can say we are more presbyterian than so many presbyterians. Of course we do have the tiny discrepancy of what the Bible actually warrants and requires for worship. I say, that – since I can read – the Bible tells us over and over to the point that God really seems to indicate that His people should (in both Testaments and in heaven) do things like sing, play music unto the Lord, praise God with music, sing new songs unto the Lord. In the words of O Brother “be plum silly with music.”

Perhaps one of the clearest proofs of this is the “Tabernacle of David.”  The tight “presbyterian” Regulative Principle of worship does not properly account for the Liturgical revolution that is evident in the inter-Old Testament development on worship. This is seen most clearly in the Tabernacle of David. (Note, this is all ripped off from Dr. Peter Leithart, From Silence to Song).

2 Samuel 6:17-18 17 So they brought the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18 And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.

1 Chronicles 16:1-4 So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD. 3 Then he distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. 4 And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the LORD God of Israel:

Isaiah 16:5-7 5 In mercy the throne will be established; And One will sit on it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, Judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness.” 6 We have heard of the pride of Moab — He is very proud — Of his haughtiness and his pride and his wrath; But his lies shall not be so. 7

Amos 9:11-13 11 ” On that day I will raise up The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, And repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, And rebuild it as in the days of old; 12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” Says the LORD who does this thing.

In this tabernacle, there is historical and prophetic significance. It was a New Covenant type of worship in the midst of the Old Covenant which included:

a.  Worship in the presence of God (Before the ark)
b.  An undivided Tent – no inner vs outer tent.
c.  Jews and Gentiles together.
d.  Sacrifices of Praise were offered.

Does this sound familiar? Yes. It is called a foretaste of the New Covenant. That is exactly what is observed in the monumental meeting in Acts 15. This, ironically is “THE FIRST PRESBYTERY” meeting in the Bible and is appealed to by all “presbyterians” as the basis for presbytery and general assembly meetings (!!!).

Acts 15:16-18 And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; 17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the LORD who does all these things.’

Of course presbyterians have been much more interested in debating about matters of church government, polity, procedural principles, higher church courts, books of church order, etc. than in exegeting: “rebuilding the fallen tabernacle of David.” Really, this is just incredible.

But look at this. New covenant worship has several features:

1. It is cast in sacrificial terms (Rom. 12, Heb 12) wherein the true offerings are human sacrifice (living sacrifices) because of the once for all offering of Jesus.
2. At the center of new covenant worship is a sacrificial meal, a peace offering.
3. It is for Jews and Gentiles who enter all the way in!
4. It is in Zion or on Mt. Zion.

Our brother, Peter Leithart (a presbyterian, for a little while longer?) writes:

In an unprecedented turn of events, at the outset of the Davidic covenant, the ark of God is placed among Gentiles and brings blessing. 2 Samuel 6 thus provides important background for the prophecy of Amos 9:11-12, which James quotes at the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15:16-18 to justify the incorporation of uncircumcised Gentiles into the new Israel. . . . In the worship prescribed by David in 1 Chronicles 15-16, song and instrumental music are massively emphasized. Sacrifice is still performed at the Davidic tent, conducted by Zadok and his priestly house (1 Chronicles 16:39-40), but it is almost incidental to the Levitical orchestra and Psalm-singing. This provides a strong line of argument against Reformed liturgists who would reject the use of instruments in worship. Instrumental music is not merely “not forbidden”; on the contrary, it should be a central part of Christian worship. According to the very first church council, we do not worship at a silent Mosaic tent; we worship at the restored tent of David, and our praise in Psalms should be accompanied by an orchestra at least as robust as that of the Levites (1 Chronicles 15:16-24).

In light of this consider one of the most powerful passages of our identity as new covenant worshipers:

Hebrews 12:22-24 -  But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, 12:23 to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, 12:24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

Gregg Strawbridge, Pastor

Website & Links:

Prepare for worship with the online service:
http://www.allsaintspresbyterian.com/worshipservice.asp

Church Calendar:
http://www.allsaintspresbyterian.com/calendar.aspx

All the sermons are online and available, as well as others, here:
http://www.wordmp3.com/ministry/?id=allsaints

Dear Saints,

Last week I pointed out two kinds of sermons. All sermons are to be “biblical” in the sense that they are to be consistent with the truth of Scripture. Expositional sermons aim to address the Bible in terms of the Bible’s own literary structure (books and sections of books, e.g., Romans) and unfolding the meaning and relevant applications. Topical sermons are to be no less “biblical” but they are not aimed at expositing a particular passage of Scripture, but rather drawing together a range of biblical truths relevant to a topic.

This week will also be a sermon which is “topical.” I want to follow up on the previous sermon and discuss more specifically the nature of Music, e.g., “Music in the Bible, Music on the Radio: A Biblical Theology of Music”  -  In this case I want to address “the sound of music” or the “style of music.” And I will take the bull by the horns in order to address the contemporary and pop music style issue vs traditional. If you did not like last week’s sermon, then I can recommend several churches for you to visit this week .

Music is commanded and commended in the life of the New Covenant People of God.

TEXT: Colossians 3:16 – “Let the Revealed Word of the Anointed [King] reside in you to the fullest measure, with all wisdom, [you should be] teaching and counseling each other, with the Book of Psalms, hymns of praise, [and] spiritually mature songs, in thankful grace singing with all your hearts to God” (GS trans.).

This command in Col. 3:16 is the final command of the “body life” prior to addressing home life (wives, husbands, children, fathers, in 3:18ff). Paul means to have their life together congregationally and their households (en-oikos) be filled with truth of God’s Word and revelation of Jesus by means of Psalms, hymns of praise, and songs that bring spiritual maturity.

It is important to remove our Western, Enlightenment goggles here as in every other area. In the biblical view of music, there is no strong dichotomy between speaking and singing. This because language generally is connected to the life of the person. “For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart” (Mt. 12:34, also Mt. 15:11-18).

Note the parallels of verbal action:

Psalm 65:13 They shout for joy, yes, they sing.
Psalm 95:2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

We should know the Old Testament Psalms through singing and chanting, if not reading. And thus we need  metrical and through-composed Psalters, as well as the liturgical reading/chanting of all the Psalms.

Historian P. Schaff says of worship in the apostolic church (1-100 A.D.) that they added to the Psalms “original, specifically Christian psalms, hymns, doxologies, and benedictions.” (Vol. I, p. 463.) These include the canticles of Simeon, the Magnificat, the Benedictus, the thanksgiving of Peter (Acts 4:24-30), songs in tongues (I Cor. 14), and the NT hymn fragments.

Certainly, we should know hymns of God’s attributes which include the great tradition of Christian hymnody. Hymns fortify doctrinal aspects of our faith and we should set them to lively music, not dead White Male Western Enlightenment, Neutered sounds.

If we do let the “I come to the garden alone” variety of “hymns” prevail then we will not like the Psalms, at all. We should sing the war songs of the Spirit such as the Song of Deborah, the Song of Myriam, etc., as well as newly composed and set hymns declaring victory, e.g., “The Son of God Goes Forth to War.”

The musical qualities of excellence, complexity, consonance, etc. are implied because all the Scripture’s teaching is in view by reference to Psalms. Music is a means for praise (Acts 16:25; Rom. 15:9 [originally sung]), joy (Jm. 5:13), thanksgiving (Ps. 92:1-3), sorrow for sin (Is. 16:10), a means of prayer (I Cor. 14:15; Ps. 72:20), teaching and spiritual communication (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19), and the use of instruments (Ps. 150 and about 50 other commands).

Victor Hugo said, “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.”

Tender praises of our experience in Christ are comforting at times and useful, but we must also advance the gospel of the resurrected, “Anointed King.” The musical sound should not effectively deny the Lordship of Christ. Thus, we need new composers to lead in the call, “Rise Up O Men of God.”

Gregg Strawbridge, Pastor

Website & Links:

Prepare for worship with the online service:
http://www.allsaintspresbyterian.com/worshipservice.asp

Church Calendar:
http://www.allsaintspresbyterian.com/calendar.aspx

All the sermons are online and available, as well as others, here:
http://www.wordmp3.com/ministry/?id=allsaints

Dear Saints,

I want to know who followed my Bible application 101 at the end of my Worship Notes last week? e.g.,: Invite a family in the church you don’t know very well, over for a meal. Eat together. Seek to appreciate the gifts and graces that God is working into their lives.

This was the application from a sacramental view of life. Table fellowship is central to Christian worship and life. Well, as for our family, we had a great time playing music with the Longs and the Kongs on the “snow day,” Wednesday this past week. I think that in our Psalm sing on Feb. 22, we will have a chance to display some of our music. We played through a number of Cantus Christi psalms and hymns instrumentally. (We had a two cellos, two violins, two oboes, and I filled in alternately on mandolin or flugelhorn.)

I love musical instruments. They are fascinating to me, all except clarinets, I’ve never much liked them. . .  . I have the chance to write about musical instruments in a forthcoming book on Music by Squarehalo (Ned Bustard is the editor). I also have the chance to talk about music/musical instruments at a conference event in March (in California, sponsored, of all things by the Seventh Day Adventists). I will be addressing the following:

“Music in the Bible, Music on the Radio: A Biblical Theology of Music”
This presentation will overview the Biblical information on music and provide a mini-theology of music in order to address the contemporary and pop music style issue. This will serve as a foundation for reflection on the larger issues of the relationship between Christ and culture and a Christian aesthetics, concluding with some pastoral directives relating to worship and musical development.

“Psalm 150: Musical Instruments in Worship and Congregational Life”
This workshop will discuss ways to develop instrumental musicians in congregations, as well as creative and appropriate ways to employ a wide variety of musical instruments in worship and congregational life, such as guitars, percussion, and orchestral instruments.

“The Temple Pillars Jakin and Boaz: Biblical Symbolism of Worship Services”
This workshop will discuss the Edenic symbols in the Tabernacle, Solomon’s Temple and new covenant worship in order to sharpening the focus of worship. Applications of this material will address the purpose of music in worship, as well as the physical actions and environment of worship.

My goal in talking about these matters is very limited, namely, that all these Seventh Day Baptist brethren will worship on the Day of Resurrection and baptize their infants. It’s a small task. If the truth be told, I hope I can get them to eat ribs, too. We are in the new covenant, after all. But I digress.

Each of the strings of this three coursed, six-stringed lute lead directly to covenant community. These topics imply worship on the Lord’s Day and the covenant community, including our children. Isn’t that plain as day?

I awoke this morning with Psalm 144:1 in my mind – “Blessed be the LORD, my rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle.” Not until chanting it later in the day did I see the connection to verse 9: “I will sing a new song to You, O God; Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You.” There is a very direct connection between “my fingers” and “ten strings.” Our “hands” and “fingers” (144:1) are an extension of our will, just as the strings of the harp (10 strings, hello!) extend our heart’s praise.

One of the most foundational concepts in our thought is the idea of something being “instrumental.” Think of all the types of “instruments.”

• Financial instrument, formal documentation of a financial transaction
• Flight instruments, the devices used to control aircraft
• Instrumental variable, a method used in statistics
• Laboratory equipment, the tools used in a scientific laboratory
• Legal instrument, a formal documentation of a status or transaction
• Measuring instrument, a device used to measure or compare physical properties
• Medical instrument, a device used to diagnose or treat disease
• Musical instrument, a device designed to produce music
• Negotiable instrument, a type of contract
• Scientific instrument, a device used to collect scientific data
• Statutory instrument, a form of legislation
• Vehicle instrument, a device measuring parameters of a vehicle, such as speed
• Weather instrument, a device used to record aspects of the weather (Wiki citation)

All of these have the common sense of an extension of ourselves, our actions, our wills, our intentions. They provide the connecting “tool” between ourselves and our aims.

I taught last week that we are in a sacramental world, wherein God is bound to us and we to Him through the ordinary elements of creation. Listen to the Eucharistic prayer again:

Blessed are you, Lord God, King of Creation who gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater (Is. 55:11). Through your goodness we have received this bread, which the earth has given and human hands have made, and through Your surpassing mercy You have given us the bread of life. Blessed be God for ever. Amen.

The earth gives bread through the instrument of human hands which represents to us Jesus. He has “extended” Himself to us through water, bread, and wine and the sacred actions use these visible, tangible, physical realities. By these we connect to Him and to His body. So musical instruments, like other instruments, extend ourselves and connect us to the “outside” world.

* * *

MUSIC & LITURGICAL WARFARE

Expositional vs Topical sermons: All sermons are to be “biblical” in the sense that they are to be consistent with the truth of Scripture. Expositional sermons aim to address the Bible in terms of the Bible’s own literary structure (books and sections of books, e.g., Romans) and unfolding the meaning and relevant applications. Topical sermons are to be no less “biblical” but they are not aimed at expositing a particular passage of Scripture, but rather drawing together a range of biblical truths relevant to a topic (loci or topoi).

Last week I urged that every part of the Bible is a training manual for Christian life, whether the formative days of creation, the stories of the patriarchs, the rituals of Torah, the battles of David, the architecture of the tabernacle and temple, the prophetic books of Exile and post-Exile . . . or the Gospels. The Epistles are the doctrine of these narratives. If you see any Scriptural teaching as irrelevant, the perhaps you are not living as a Christian.

TOPIC: MUSIC  AND “LITURGICAL WARFARE”- Thesis: Music is central to spiritual warfare/liturgical warfare, because our weapons are not “fleshly” but are “spiritual.” The true realm of battle is the “heavenly places” – hence, “praise” is our greatest offensive weapon because the “battle belongs to the Lord.”

Music is addressed in Scripture over 500 times. Clearly, this is “what is in the Bible” therefore it is part of God’s Word, therefore it is relevant to us and apparently important. HOW SO?

Psalms 144:1-15 NAS95S – Blessed be the LORD, my rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle; 144:2 My lovingkindness and my fortress, My stronghold and my deliverer, My shield and He in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me. . . .144:9 I will sing a new song to You, O God; Upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You, 144:10 Who gives salvation to kings, Who rescues David His servant from the evil sword. . . .

Older commentators (e.g., Chrysostom, Augustine) spiritualize this.

“Harp of ten strings. . . let your members be servants to the love of God, and of your neighbour, in which are kept both the three and the seven commandments”  (Augustine on Ps 33). “When we do anything according to God’s Commandments, obeying His commands and hearkening to Him, that we may fulfil His injunctions, when we are active and not passive, it is the psaltery that is playing” (Augustine Ps 43). “Ye have not heard of the psaltery of ten strings for the first time: it signifies the ten commandments of the Law. But we must sing upon that psaltery, and not carry it only. For even the Jews have the Law: but they carry it: they sing not” (Augustine Ps 92).

This may be useful, but in the text (as in other Psalms) there is a connection between War with hands/10 fingers and Enemies being defeated by praise. Moreover, there are many other examples, Jericho’s walls, Jehoshaphat (2Chr 20:19ff).

WARFARE IN THE OT AND IN THE NT

The NT is unmistakably clear about the spiritual nature of our Warfare. We have no Cananites to kill or no “Land” to conquer as in the OT because the “kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ” (Rev. 11:15; Rom. 4:13).

Ephesians 6:9-13 NAS95S – 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 6:13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

See also 2 Cor. 10: OUR weapons are not carnal but mighty.

Liturgical Battle.

James B. Jordan writes: “Throughout the Old Testament, the enemy was defined as Cainitic men, and the imprecatory psalms are phrased in terms of battle against evil men. We find next to nothing about battling demonic powers in the Old Testament.”

WHAT IS THE ENEMY NOW. CULTURE WARS?
The culture war is only a manifestation of the real battle. (cf Peter Kreft’s book)

Because of Christ (Matt 12, Rev 20), God pushes the battle back to “the citadel of the enemy.” The Gates of hell will not prevail against the Church. CSL says “The Church stretched out throughout eternity, terrible as an army with banners.” Now the enemy is defined as Satan’s legions, the fallen-angelic principalities and powers. “Our struggle is . . . against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12).

BUT THEN HOW?  . . . THE SAME WAY THE LORD FOUGHT IN THE OT, “written for our instruction” – Praise, worship, liturgy in the fullest sense.

So the New Testament focuses almost exclusively on ecclesiastical warfare, which is liturgical warfare. “We cannot rest until men are converted, and Satan is fully bound from influencing the hearts and minds of men” (JBJ). We must cast down strongholds of FALSE ideology, everything raised up against the knowledge of God (2 Cor 10).

The greatest asset we have for this is the full liturgy: Psalms, Prayer, Word, Sacrament, etc.

REBUKE OF OUR PRIDE
It is evident that we are babies in this. We don’t know the Psalms. Even the Cantus is the good work of Toddlers. Our brightest ordinands for ministry cannot summarize 10 Psalms or sing them – because even our CREC churches are simply not committed to this kind of Liturgical Warfare to great cost of learning ALL OF THE PSALMS central.

Gregg Strawbridge, Pastor

Links & Resources:

Prepare for worship with the online service:
http://www.allsaintspresbyterian.com/worshipservice.asp

Church Calendar:
http://www.allsaintspresbyterian.com/calendar.aspx

All the sermons are online and available, as well as others, here:
http://www.wordmp3.com/ministry/?id=allsaints

Dear Saints,

This week I really just want to drive home the implications of Epiphany in the four gospels. So I want to select themes from our past studies and draw out more of what we must believe and do as a result.

We have seen Epiphany through the lens of St Luke, St Matthew, St Mark and now St John. There is the Star in Matthew, the Benedictus and Nunc Dimittis canticles (of Zacharias and Simeon) in Luke which both refer to the “light” to the people/nations. With no “birth narrative” or canticles, St John actual has the words, “I am the light of the world” (John 9:1-7) since He is the true light that enlightens every man (1:9).

John’s Gospel shows us that Jesus is the full manifestation of God Himself. “The only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him” (1:18). We looked at three perspectives on John.

1) DAYS OF CREATION – He is “a new creator (eight days) and light has come to “enlighten every man” (1:9).
2) SEVEN I AMS – Jesus identifies Himself in striking claims (remember C.S. Lewis’s “Lord, liar, lunatic”). He states seven “I am’s.”
3) SEVEN SIGNS – He does seven signs to “signal” His Messianic identity.

These seven signs are related in parallels:
1/7 Water to wine/Water and blood,
2/6 Salvation from death/Salvation from the grave,
3/5 Sabbath restoration of the lame/blind after the use of water.
4th and central to the Gospel is Jesus feeding the five thousand and walking on water.

A Typological Outline of the Gospel of John

[NEW CREATION DAYS]
FIRST DAY: LIGHT “The Light shines” (first, 1:5)
SECOND DAY: SEA/SKY “Baptizing in Water/Spirit” (next day, 1:29, 33) . . .
THIRD DAY: LAND PLANTS “They have no wine” (2:3ff) . . .

[I AM STATEMENTS] [SEVEN SIGNS]
TRUE VINE                      1. Water to Wine at the Wedding (2:1-11)
GOOD SHEPHERD                2. Saving from death the royal son (4:46ff)
WAY TRUTH LIFE                       3. Sabbath – healing the paralyzed man/pool (5:2-9)
BREAD OF LIFE                                 4. Making bread/fish & water walking (6:11, 19)
I AM                                         5. Sabbath – healing the man born blind (9:1-7)
LIGHT OF THE WORLD          6. Saving after death poor Lazarus (11:1-44)
RESURRECTION & LIFE    7. Water and Blood at the Cross (19:34)

FOURTH DAY: SUN MOON STARS “The Light of the World”  (8:12) . . .
FIFTH DAY: SEA/SKY DWELLERS: “He has been buried for four days” (11:17, 39)
SIXTH DAY: BEASTS/MAN “Behold the Man” (19:5)
SEVENTH DAY: SABBATH “It was the Passover” (19:14)
EIGHTH DAY: Jesus is a New Adam – “On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene” (20:1ff)

At the center, remember the Exodus (Manna and water from the rock). Hence, Jesus is the Maker/Provider of water, bread and wine; He is life and Sabbath. He claims to be true manna. Jesus fed the people and called for faith.

It should not surprise us that the sequence of the signs places this as the center of chiasm, while the first is the new creation wine and the last is the old creation wine of his blood. We have the wine, bread/water, and water/blood sequence in these signs. The clear meaning upon reflection is that we who are the baptized are to feed upon Jesus by faith in the Eucharist. This shows that we are abiding in Him.

At the center of these signs in the “Bread of Life” discourse, comes the strident words of Jesus (these are in “red”):

John 6:53-56  -  So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 6:54 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 6:55 “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 6:56 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.”

Take this you gnostics! This is like Luther throwing a beer stein at the devil.

Is there any exegete so crafty as to remove sacramental overtones from this? I mean you have to have several Ph.D.s to remove the necessity of Communion from this, maybe even hold an endowed chair of hermenuetics (interpretation) at a reputable, accredited seminary.

Now if all of this strikes against our Evangelical sensibilities – How, after all, can the sacramental things be so important? – Since we know that no physical objects or rites can be important . . .

Well perhaps it is our Evangelical assumptions rather the the Gospel of John that is the problem. Perhaps we have unjustly pitted the invisible things like faith over against the visible things like water, bread, wine, washing, eating and drinking. If the covenant purpose of God (Gen. 12) is restoration of creation, then a great plan to derail it is philosophy of the separation of creational physicality from creational spirituality. The latter of course is usually not conceived of as created. Spiritual and mental are “eternal” not temporal to many. Of course some people conceive of eternal life as eternal disembodiment. So this all makes sense that such actions that involve us in the world of material things are peripheral.

Floyd Reeser reminded me recently of a great line from C.S. Lewis’s, That Hideous Strength (The greatest book of the twentieth century, IMHO) – where the skeptic Mr. MacPhee says, “Guts and palate for eternity, in a world with no food or drink? Man, ye’ll have a grand time of it!”

Yes, Mr. MacPhee, exactly – assuming eternal life is eternal disembodiment.

However, the resurrection of Jesus in the same body in which he died, refutes Mr. MacPhee’s first, but unstated, premise. Eternal life and powerful theme in St  John is deeply creational. We eat and drink. Because we celebrate the Great Table, we are set at liberty to give thanks at all lesser tables of our daily bread.  This guides our ordinary lives with flesh and blood people with whom we eat.

This is savor in a world of rottenness. This is refreshment in an arid world. This joy in a world of mourning. This solidity in a world of vapor. This is Light in a dark world. . . . Well, I could go on.

Bible application 101: Invite a family in the church you don’t know very well, over for a meal. Eat together. Seek to appreciate the gifts and graces that God is working into their lives.

Gregg Strawbridge, Pastor

Links & Resources:

Prepare for worship with the online service:
http://www.allsaintspresbyterian.com/worshipservice.asp

Church Calendar:
http://www.allsaintspresbyterian.com/calendar.aspx

All the sermons are online and available, as well as others, here:
http://www.wordmp3.com/ministry/?id=allsaints

Dear Saints,

We have seen Epiphany through the lens of Luke, Matthew and Mark. There is the Star in Matthew and the Benedictus and Nunc Dimittis canticles (of Zacharias and Simeon) which both refer to the “light” to the people/nations.  Luke shows the light entering to overcoming the darkness and shows Jesus as a prophet and is centrally concerned with the fate of the temple and its priesthood, not unlike the great prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel. It begins in temple (with Zacharias) and ends in the temple (24:53). Matthew shows the light of the star, like a great Menorah over Bethlehem marking the True Tabernacle of God with men. Mark’s  Epiphany theme focuses upon His “manifestation” in His baptism. His baptism is 1) Adamic, to renew and restore. 2) It is Messianic, to be the occasion of receiving His priesthood according to Melchizedek. 3) It is Trinitarian in that the Father pronounces sonship and the Spirit anoints Him. His baptism is a very direct manifestation of the glory/light of God. It is also important to note that Jesus then goes into the wilderness after baptism. He, like Israel before goes through the Red Sea with the Holy Ghost glory cloud coming down upon Him. Then the Spirt led Him through the wilderness in 40 days.

The Gospel of John is in a separate category from the “synoptic gospels” of Matthew, Mark and Luke. They show that Jesus fulfills the role of Priest (Matthew), King (Mark) and Prophet (Luke). We have seen how each of these representations show His “light” or “manifestation.” John actual has the words, “I am the light of the world” (John 9:1-7). But it is much richer.

John’s Gospel shows us that Jesus does seven signs and then is raised on the eighth day as the Creator of a new world. In the center of the Gospel is the fourth sign of John’s Gospel. The fourth sign of John’s Gospel is Jesus feeding the five thousand. In this sign Jesus fed the people to show that He is the bread of life which comes from God, which we receive by trusting Him. This sign means for us that we are to feed upon Jesus by faith in the Eucharist which is the Great Table, and give thanks at all lesser tables for our daily bread which He provides.

1 New Creator: Water into wine (2:1-11)
2 Redeemer/Healer: The official/nobleman’s son (4:46ff)
3 True Sabbath: The paralyzed man at the pool (5:2-9)
4 Bread of Life: Multiplication of loaves (6:1-14)
5 Light of the World: The man born blind (9:1-7)
6 Resurrection & Life: The raising of Lazarus (11:1-44)
Living Water: The cross (19:1-37)
New Adam/Gardener: The resurrection (20:1-29)

There is the wine of new life (the first and final signs), the power of Jesus to prevent and undo death (the second and sixth signs of the nobleman’s son/Lazarus), that Jesus effects the true Sabbath in healing the paralyzed man at the Sheep Gate pool (5:2-9) and the healing of the man born blind (9:1-7) (third and fifth signs). All of this confirms a new creation through bodily resurrection which counter acts the claims of such frauds as the gnostic gospels.

At the center, however, is the Bread of Life.

John 6:51-57  – “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”  52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”  53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.  54 “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  55 “For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.  56 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

He claims to be true manna. Jesus fed the people and called for faith. It should not surprise us that the sequence of the signs places this as the center of chiasm, while the first is the new creation wine (after all He is the true vine) and the last is the cross/resurrection. We have the wine, bread and water/blood sequence in these signs. The deeper meaning is that we are to feed upon Jesus by faith in the Eucharist. This shows that we are abiding in Him. But it is deeply creational. We eat and drink. Because we celebrate the Great Table, we are set at liberty to give thanks at all lesser tables of our daily bread. This is Light in a dark world.

Gregg Strawbridge, Pastor

Website & Links:

Prepare for worship with the online service:
http://www.allsaintspresbyterian.com/worshipservice.asp

Church Calendar:
http://www.allsaintspresbyterian.com/calendar.aspx

All the sermons are online and available, as well as others, here:
http://www.wordmp3.com/ministry/?id=allsaints

I enjoyed the Auburn Avenue Pastor’s Conference this past week, held in Monroe, LA. What I have found in the context of this fellowship of a variety of churches/denominations and pastors is that we are all walking the same path. Some are farther down the road than others. The speakers included Rich Lusk, Rich Bledsoe, Doug Wilson, James Jordan, and Steve Wilkins. The theme was the Church and Her Rivals. I enjoyed lunch with Revds Booth and Schneider, as well as an Anglican minister. I enjoyed talking to Rev’d Knecht. I continue to be impressed with Rev’d Rich Lusk (Trinity CREC Birmingham) and would like to have him as a conference speaker at All Saints on day. I have also heard Doug Wilson and Rich Bledsoe who have provided the wit and reflective depth for the conference. I also enjoyed a couple of airport chats with Doug and Nancy Wilson, traveling the path together.

* * *

In Advent we made some liturgical changes. Likewise now in Epiphany we have some changes to the texts and prayers.  The entire service with music, pastoral words and prayers is available here as a PDF file.

However, please use this new prayer of confession from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer with your family and prepare for worship:

Unison: ALMIGHTY God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men; We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed, By thought, word, and deed, against Thy Divine Majesty, Provoking most justly Thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; The remembrance of them is grievous unto us; The burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; For Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, Forgive us all that is past; And grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee in newness of life, to the honor and glory of thy Name; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The service is also available on line. 

The Online Bulletin * The Lord’s Prayer. (p. 411 in the Cantus, lift up hearts and hands).

On the sermon, as I mentioned we are in Epiphany. Here are some questions to help your children understand Epiphany. 

1) What does Epiphany mean? Epiphany means the light of Jesus shining to all people.

2) Where is Epiphany in the Bible? Epiphany themes are in the visit of Magi, the star, the visit of Jesus with Simeon in the Temple, and verses about light to the nations.

3)What should we do because of Epiphany? We should give money and pray for Churches, pastors, and missionaries to take the gospel of Jesus’ light to people in darkness.

4) How long does Epiphany last? Epiphany lasts through six Sundays in this year of our Lord 2009. 

5) What Holy Season follows Epiphany? Epiphany is followed by Lent which begins on Wednesday February 25th. 

How may we pray in Epiphany: “O GOD, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; Mercifully grant that we, who know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious Godhead; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

* * *

My Epiphany series this year will survey each Gospel. Last week I spoke of Epiphany in Luke, especially using the Benedictus of Zacharias. The structure of the Benedictus shows the Light comes to fulfill the covenant promise:

A Lord God of Israel has visited us 

B Accomplished redemption raised up a horn of salvation 

C In the house of David

D As He spoke by His holy prophets

E Salvation from enemies, hate us;  

F Our fathers

G His holy covenant,  

G’ The oath  

F’ Abraham our father

E’ being delivered of our enemies

D’ Prophet of the Most High 

C’ His people 

B’ The knowledge of salvation forgiveness of their sins

A’ Sunrise from on high shall visit us, to shine in darkness

Luke shows Jesus as a prophet and is centrally concerned with the fate of the temple and its priesthood, not unlike the great prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel. It begins in temple (with Zacharias) and ends in the temple (24:53). A large part of the Gospel is Christ’s journey toward the holy place. He “steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (9:51). When He arrives at the temple (Luke 19:45), He symbolically destroys the temple and its work, reenacting the words of Jeremiah (Jer. 26:6). Whereas the temple was to be an artifact of God dwelling with man, by the time of Jesus it was dark and needed destroying. The darkness of the apostate temple was overcome by the true Tabernacle, the Light of the World (John 2:21, Matt. 12:6). 

This week we will look at Matthew. 

The most direct Epiphany text in Matthew is Matthew 2:1-4: “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 

He draws directly upon Isaiah 9:1-7: “Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles.  2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.”

Matthew is a priestly Gospel and is filled with teaching after the manner of faithful priests. Jesus is shown to be a greater Moses who provides a new Exodus in Himself. Thus, there are five “books” or discourses in Matthew which relate to the five books of Torah. Yet, this new Pentateuch does not end with the death of this greater Moses, but with the Resurrection of the final Prophet. 

The structure of Matthew’s Gospel (from James Jordan) is also Chiastic (X marks the spot). 

A. Genealogy (past), 1:1-17

B. First Mary and Jesus’ birth, 1:18-25

C. Gifts of wealth at birth, 2:1-12

D. Descent into Egypt; murder of children, 2:13-21

E. Judea avoided, 2:22-23

F. Baptism of Jesus, 3:1–8:23

G. Crossing the sea, 8:24–11:1

H. John’s ministry, 11:2-19

I. Rejection of Jesus, 11:20-24

J. Gifts for the new children, 11:25-30

K. Attack of Pharisees, 12:1-13

L. Pharisees Determine to kill Jesus the Servant, 12:14-21

K’ Condemnation of Pharisees, 12:22-45

J’ Gifts for the new children, 13:1-52

I’ Rejection of Jesus, 13:53-58

H’ John’s death, 14:1-12

G’ Crossing the sea, 14:13–16:12

F’ Transfiguration of Jesus, 16:13–18:35

E’ Judean ministry, 19:1–20:34

D’ Ascent into Jerusalem; judgment on Jews, 21:1–27:56

C’ Gift of wealth at death, 27:57-66

B’ Last Marys and Jesus’ resurrection, 28:1-15

A’ Commission (future), 28:16-20

Accept each another, then, just as Christ also accepted you, to God’s glory. 15:8 For I tell you that the Messianic Servant was born (of Himself) from among the circumcised to confirm (and fulfill) God’s covenant truthfulness, which promises were made to the fathers, 15:9 and thus the Nations are to glorify God for His mercy. As it is written, “Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name.”(Romans 15:7-9).

The Refrain – Romans 14 is the “application” to the sermon. Be in Christ first. Nothing competes with this fundamental identity because this a matter of Lordship, first and foremost. We must not put Lordship and identity in Christ as secondary (14:4). Practically, we are not to make people into labels of their convictions. Chapter 15 is the Hallelujah Chorus to the book. Handel’s libretto is taken from the “seventh trumpet,” – “The kingdoms of this world [is] become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Rev. 11:15). Romans 15, like Rev. 15, brings Israel’s history to its climax. God through Jesus, has opened the way of mercy to the nations. This is a thick statement summing up whole sections of Romans (ch. 3-4, 9-11). We must strive reach out to those that not like ourselves in this congregation.
The Method – Paul “proof-texting” in the worst way? No, he is nuanced and thoughtful. He even cites Dt. 32:43 in the LXX Greek, not Hebrew, which “authoritative trans.” has an eschatological inclusive emphasis, “praise, you nations, with his people.” KJV 1611 or not, Ps 117 made clear that the goal of praise includes all nations. As John Piper has written, “Let the nations be glad.”Shared worship is central to Paul’s vision. 
The Content – Paul concludes with a litany of fulfillment texts. These are all precisely what he began with: the promises to the fathers are being fulfilled in the new covenant church. “Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and thus the Gentiles glorify God for his mercy” (15:8-9). The promise of God is for Jews and Gentiles, all humanity, to come into Christ as a New Man (Eph. 2:15), a new Adam or humanity. The ending of chapter 15 makes clear the “missionary purpose.” Paul is arguing that he should come to Rome to establish the base of a new mission into Spain. This tremendous letter is Paul’s apologetic to bring together the church in Rome so as to establish a stable foundation to reach the rest of the world. This is the only “end that justifies” the means.

 

The Purpose – The message of unity in Christ over differences of status, ethnic identity and cultural differences, when accepted, becomes the foundational message for church planting. A church that sees the promises of God coming to bear can reach out and establish more churches in different contexts. Remember that Romans 1 reads right through to chapter 15. 1:15 Thus I am eager also to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome. . . 15:20 I desire to preach where Christ has not been named, 15:22 This is the reason I was often hindered coming to you. 15:23 But now there is nothing more to keep me in these regions, and I have for many years desired to come to you…”

Dear Saints,

I trust that you are enjoying a blessed Christmas celebration. Christmas, in the Church calendar, extends to Epiphany. Now we are in the time called, “Twelve-tide.” This leads us through twelve nights/days to the morning of Epiphany (January 6). I hope that you will take advantage of some of the fellowship opportunities available during these days, as you are able.

Prepare for worship:
The Online Bulletin * The Lord’s Prayer. (p. 411 in the Cantus, lift up hearts and hands).

* * *

We saw how Paul concludes the substantial content of Romans with a litany of fulfillment texts. Indeed the end of Romans is an Epiphany as a result of the fulfillment brought through the Incarnation.  He wrote,

Accept each another, then, just as Christ also accepted you, to God’s glory. 15:8 For I tell you that the Messianic Servant was born (of Himself) from among the circumcised to confirm (and fulfill) God’s covenant truthfulness, which promises were made to the fathers, 15:9 and thus the Nations are to glorify God for His mercy. As it is written, “Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name.”(Romans 15:7-9).

Chapter 15 is the Hallelujah Chorus to the book. Handel’s libretto is taken from the “seventh trumpet,” – “The kingdom of this world [is] become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Rev. 11:15). Romans 15, like Rev. 11:15, brings Israel’s history to its climax. God through Jesus, has opened the way of mercy to the nations. This is the plum pudding of the festal sections of Romans (ch. 3-4, 9-11). “Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and thus the Gentiles glorify God for his mercy” (15:8-9). The promise of God is for Jews and Gentiles, all humanity, to come into Christ as a New Man (Eph. 2:15), a new Adam or humanity.

The ending of chapter 15 makes clear the “missionary purpose.” Paul is arguing that he should come to Rome to establish the base of a new mission into Spain. This tremendous letter is Paul’s apologetic to bring together the church in Rome so as to establish a stable foundation to reach the rest of the world. The message of unity in Christ over differences of status, ethnic identity and cultural differences, when accepted, becomes the foundational message for church planting.

The last chapter (16) is another kind of litany. It is a list of encouragements. It is as if I said to you, “I commend Meredith Siegenthaler for her work on the Twelve days of Christmas, encourage her. Greet my dear friends Russ and Raquel Harless who have been long time ambassadors for Christ, even in the United Arab Emerates. Russ has helped me grow in Christ. Greet Jon Northup’s parents and Benjamin and Christy Long, and the returning students, Travis, Brandon, and Jameson Detweiler.  . . . . Greet one another with a holy kiss — well, we sort of down play that part.

Finally, there is the tremendous promise of dominion. “The God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you” (16:20). And there is a benediction.

Now I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, 16:2 so that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and provide her with whatever help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many, including me.16:3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 16:4 who risked their own necks for my life. Not only I, but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. 16:5 Also greet the church in their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. 16:6 Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you. 16:7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my compatriots and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. 16:8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. 16:9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my good friend Stachys. 16:10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. 16:11 Greet Herodion, my compatriot. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 16:12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, laborers in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 16:13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother who was also a mother to me. 16:14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters with them. 16:15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the believers who are with them. 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. 16:17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them! 16:18 For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive. 16:19 Your obedience is known to all and thus I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. 16:20 The God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. 16:21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my compatriots. 16:22 I, Tertius, who am writing this letter, greet you in the Lord. 16:23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus the city treasurer and our brother Quartus greet you. 16:25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that had been kept secret for long ages, 16:26 but now is disclosed, and through the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all the nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith– 16:27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory forever! Amen. (Rom 16:1-27 NET)

* * *

Links & Resources:

Prepare for worship with the online service:
http://www.allsaintspresbyterian.com/worshipservice.asp

Church Calendar:
http://www.allsaintspresbyterian.com/calendar.aspx

All the sermons are online and available, as well as others, here:
http://www.wordmp3.com/ministry/?id=allsaints

Gregg Strawbridge, Pastor

Dear Saints,

Prepare for worship:
The Online Bulletin * The Lord’s Prayer. (p. 411 in the Cantus, lift up hearts and hands).

Several folks have asked to hear my song, “I Thought He’d Be,” from our Lessons and Carols service Sunday. A previous recording is available here (not all that great, in my opinion). The lyrics are below. We plan to have this on a new family Christmas recording. When I share songs, I am always reminded of the amusing interchange I once heard.

Listener: “That was a beautiful song.”
Song Writer: “The Lord gave me that song . . .”
Listener: “Well, it wasn’t quite that good.”

* *

In ch. 13 Paul spoke of honoring such “powers” as president elect Barach Obama and VP elect, Joe Biden. Let us imagine in the “Its a Wonderful Life” fashion that it is actually Nero that is the president-elect. Remember Paul is saying these things to people, some of whom, will actually be martyred by Nero and Nero is the personification of the Beast in Rev. 13. (Of course this turns on one’s interpretation, but I cite (DeMar, Gentry, Bahnsen, and just about every pastor in the CREC). This is an argument from the lesser to the greater.

In the face of anti-Christian powers, our outward face is self-sacrificing respect toward the office and our inward actions are prayer and right worship. Unlike some “classic Reformed” spokesmen, we will pray and sing, as we are able, all of the Psalms, including those which call for judgment. “Why do the heathen nations vainly rage…”

In chapter 13 there is a segue on the essence of Torah commandments. Literally, “love does not work [ergon] evil to a neighbor, thus love fulfills Torah/the law” (13:10). We are to “wear Christ” as our identity and thus “make no provision for the flesh (Adamic/old identity) and its desires” (13:14). This informs how we apply the Law of God to society. Love motivates our obedience. Duty follows love. If we are not motivated in this way, then we will apply the commandments wrongly.

This speaks of the “works of Torah” toward the outside, but what about the various factions within? Party lines develop precisely because we wear other identities rather than “in Christ.” Notice verse 14:19, “So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.”  The word to the “strong” is very simple: “But we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not just please ourselves.” Lordship is not a “thing indifferent”! Hence congregations must strive to reach out to those that are not like ourselves, overcoming barriers of ethnic and social identity.

That brings us to the Hallelujah Chorus of chapter 15, which speaks of the “God of endurance.” Patience and bearing with one another is necessary.

15:7 Receive one another, then, just as Christ also received you, to God’s glory. 15:8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth to confirm the promises made to the fathers, 15:9 and thus the Gentiles glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name.” 15:10 And again it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 15:11 And again, “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him.” 15:12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, and the one who rises to rule over the Gentiles, in him will the Gentiles hope.” 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 15:14 But I myself am fully convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. 15:15 But I have written more boldly to you on some points so as to remind you, because of the grace given to me by God 15:16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I serve the gospel of God like a priest, so that the Gentiles may become an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 15:17 So I boast in Christ Jesus about the things that pertain to God. 15:18 For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in order to bring about the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, 15:19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem even as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 15:20 And in this way I desire to preach where Christ has not been named, so as not to build on another person’s foundation, 15:21 but as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” 15:22 This is the reason I was often hindered from coming to you. 15:23 But now there is nothing more to keep me in these regions, and I have for many years desired to come to you 15:24 when I go to Spain. For I hope to visit you when I pass through and that you will help me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 15:25 But now I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 15:26 For Macedonia and Achaia are pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 15:27 For they were pleased to do this, and indeed they are indebted to the Jerusalem saints. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are obligated also to minister to them in material things. 15:28 Therefore after I have completed this and have safely delivered this bounty to them, I will set out for Spain by way of you, 15:29 and I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of Christ’s blessing. 15:30 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to join fervently with me in prayer to God on my behalf. 15:31 Pray that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea and that my ministry in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 15:32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. 15:33 Now may the God of peace be with all of you. Amen. (Rom 15:1-33 NET)

Paul concludes the substantial content of this book with a litany of fulfillment texts. These are all precisely what he began with: the promises to the fathers are being fulfilled in the new covenant church. “Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and thus the Gentiles glorify God for his mercy” (15:8-9). The promise of God is for Jews and Gentiles, all humanity, to come into Christ as a New Man (Eph. 2:15), a new Adam or humanity.

The ending of chapter 15 makes clear the “missionary purpose.” Paul is arguing that he should come to Rome to establish the base of a new mission into Spain. This tremendous letter is Paul’s apologetic to bring together the church in Rome so as to establish a stable foundation to reach the rest of the world.

The message of unity in Christ over differences of status, ethnic identity and cultural differences, when accepted, becomes the foundational message for church planting. A church that sees the promises of God coming to bear can reach out and establish more churches in different contexts.

Remember that Romans 1 reads right through to chapter 15:

1:13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I often intended to come to you (and was prevented until now), so that I may have some fruit even among you, just as I already have among the rest of the Gentiles. 1:14 I am a debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.  1:15 Thus I am eager also to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome.

15:20 And in this way I desire to preach where Christ has not been named, so as not to build on another person’s foundation,  15:21 but as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”  15:22  This is the reason I was often hindered coming to you. 15:23 But now there is nothing more to keep me in these regions, and I have for many years desired  to come to you 15:24 when I go to Spain. For I hope to visit you when I pass through and that you will help me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.  15:25  But now I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints.  15:26 For Macedonia and Achaia are pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.

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Lyrics to “I Thought He’d Be”

I Thought He’d Be

I thought He’d be royalty, born in regal care.
But He was born a pauper’s child, laid in a stall.
I thought He’d grow to be a King, seen by all the world,
But He was just a Galilean boy, son of a carpenter.

I thought He’d be prince and claim his rightful place
but He was not of stately form that should look upon his face.
I thought He’d hold his court with the finest palace walls,
but be He was made to be poor that all others might be rich with God.

REFRAIN: I thought He’d be a king and reign, and crush our enemies,
But He was Man of Sorrows aquainted with our grief.
I thought He’d rule with mighty armies to exalt our race.
But He was the Prince of Peace, the King of love and grace.

I thought He’d be the ruler of this world’s domains,
but He was mocked at death with a sign above His thorny crown.
I thought He’d use a rod of iron to crush their Heads,
but He bruised for all their sins and cried that they might be forgiv’n.

Gregg Strawbridge, Pastor